Lighter Eggplant Gratin Recipes

Steps:

• Brush both sides of eggplant slices with oil. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8 minutes. Turn and bake 7-8 minutes longer or until lightly browned and tender. Cool on a wire rack., Place one eggplant slice in each of two 10-oz. ramekins coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce and 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat about 1/8-inch of olive oil in a very large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is almost smoking, add several slices of eggplant and cook, turning once, until they are evenly browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Be careful, it splatters! Transfer the cooked eggplant slices to paper towels to drain. Add more oil, heat, and add more eggplant until all the slices are cooked.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, half-and-half, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
• In each of 2 individual gratin dishes, place a layer of eggplant slices, then sprinkle with Parmesan, salt and pepper and spoon 1/2 of the marinara sauce. Next, add a second layer of eggplant, more salt and pepper, half the ricotta mixture, and finally 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan on top.
• Place the gratins on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard sets and the top is browned. Serve warm.

Steps:

• For the gratin topping: Combine the panko, pecorino, oil, oregano salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until the crumbs are evenly coated with the oil.
• For the eggplant and tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the onions, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, tomato puree, oil, soy, sriracha, garlic and eggplant flesh in a large bowl. Add half of the gratin topping. With your hands or two spoons, gently mix the vegetables and topping until thoroughly combined.
• Put the scooped-out eggplants in a baking dish. Pour the eggplant and tomato mixture into the eggplants and top each with the remaining gratin topping. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top. Bake, uncovered, until the eggplants are tender and the tops are lightly browned, 45 to 60 minutes. If after 30 minutes the tops are browning too rapidly, cover the dish with foil for the remaining cooking time.
• Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with olive oil to taste.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat about 1/8-inch of olive oil in a very large frying pan over medium heat.
• When the oil is almost smoking, add several slices of eggplant and cook, turning once, until they are evenly browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Be careful, it splatters!
• Transfer the cooked eggplant slices to paper towels to drain.
• Add more oil, heat, and add more eggplant until all the slices are cooked.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, half-and-half, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
• In each of 2 individual gratin dishes, place a layer of eggplant slices, then sprinkle with Parmesan, salt and pepper and spoon 1/2 of the marinara sauce.
• Next, add a second layer of eggplant, more salt and pepper, half the ricotta mixture, and finally 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan on top.
• Place the gratins on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard sets and the top is browned.
• Serve warm.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Preheat a grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Grill eggplant slices until cooked through and evenly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• Mix half-and-half, egg, ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper together in a bowl.
• Arrange a layer of eggplant slices in each of 2 individual gratin dishes. Sprinkle each with 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Spoon half the marinara sauce into each dish. Top each with a second layer of eggplant slices, more salt and pepper, half the ricotta mixture, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Place the dishes on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the custard sets and the top is browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice the eggplants 1/4-inch thick, discarding the tops. Peel the potatoes or leave the skins on, and slice the potatoes 1/4-inch thick. Place the eggplant and potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with the ghee. Toss with cumin, nigella, red-pepper flakes, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Lightly grease a 9-by-9-inch baking dish or similarly sized gratin dish with ghee, and place the gratin dish on a baking sheet.
• Add the tomatoes and garlic to the baking dish, season with salt and toss to combine. Arrange the eggplant and potato slices on top, alternating between the two vegetables.
• In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle the mixture over the sliced vegetables.
• Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top turns golden brown. Let the dish cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat foil generously with olive oil. Toss eggplant slices with salt to taste and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Line baking sheet with the slices in a single layer (you may need 2 baking sheets, or do this in batches). Place in oven and roast for 15 minutes. Eggplant will look dry on surface but should be soft when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and, wearing oven mitts, carefully fold the foil up in half over the eggplant and crimp edges to create a sealed packet. Allow eggplant to steam inside the packet for another 15 minutes (you can cook couscous during this time). Turn oven down to 375 degrees.
• Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish with olive oil. Place cooked Israeli couscous in a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Spoon into baking dish in an even layer.
• Remove eggplant slices from foil packet (they should be thoroughly tender), and layer on top of couscous, overlapping slices slightly. Cover with remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese. Drizzle on remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Place in oven and bake 30 minutes, until browned and bubbling. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with torn or slivered basil leaves just before serving.